Sep 4, 2013 2 min read

A hearing scheduled for the former North Strabane Township man accused of secretly videotaping the 18-year-old daughter of his estranged girlfriend was continued Tuesday to allow him to undergo a mental-health evaluation.

Dennis Ray White, 44, was arrested Aug. 20 by township police Detective John Wybranowski on four counts each of wiretapping and invasion of privacy.

North Strabane police were contacted Aug. 11 after the teen’s mother reportedly found a video recorder/camera in the laundry hamper in a bathroom of her home in Angel II Acres trailer park. The mother told police her daughter had just left the bathroom. When the mother entered the bathroom, she said she heard an electronic noise coming from the hamper and found the camera.

When confronted, White allegedly admitted he had been using it to record the woman’s daughter when she was in the bathroom. The recordings reportedly happened on four occasions. Police said White told them he “had a mental problem” and “didn’t know why he would do something so stupid.”

District Judge Jay Weller, who was to hear the case Tuesday, told White that in addition to the evaluation, he needed to follow up with recommended treatment.

“You’ve been given an opportunity to work through this,” Weller told him. “I would avail yourself of this opportunity.”

Weller reminded White he is to have no contact with the alleged victim or her mother. White told Weller that he is staying with friends in Claysville until he can find a new home. He told Weller he has no intentions of contacting either woman.

When the hearing is resumed Dec. 9, consideration may be given to withdrawing or dismissing the felony wiretapping charges while waiving the misdemeanor invasion of privacy charges to court.